Taylor built a working nuclear fusion reactor (fusion, not fission) in his garage when he was 14, becoming the youngest person ever to do so. When he was 17, Taylor came in first in the prestigious Intel Science and Engineering Fair, also winning the Intel Young Scientist award. But this just scratches the surface. His goal is to improve on existing molten salt reactor tech to build a much safer and more efficient fission reactor. He’s been offered funding by the DOE and turned it down due to patent concerns. And remember, he is now just 19.

Spend a few minutes watching this young man speak. This video was a TED talk from earlier this year. Seems to me, he’s the real deal.

DanielSw

Very intriguing. The universal availability of cheap, clean power could literally save our world.

There’d be so much less pollution, as well as so fewer wars fought over fossil fuels.

omitwords

Why do I suddenly miss Steve?

Tafelapfel

Hmm, there will be nuclear waste, if I’m not mistaken (he didn’t talk about that). Security while actively operating is one problem, but what after 30 years?

For space exploration? Yeah, THAT is the real deal in my opinion (because it’s easy to get rid of the waste in space).

We’ll see …

Terry Maraccini

Elon Musk needs to hire this kid and protect him from capitalists who would destroy his work

Mayson

50 years ago, I was in a summent science program with the guy who won that year’s Science Talent Search (then sponsored by Westinghouse) with his research on nuclear magnetic resonance, the basis for the MRI. He has a somewhat different take on nuclear energy. Google Amory Lovins for more…